For Bio-medical Waste – Definition and Categories refer https://fotisedu.com/bio-medical-waste-definition-and-categories/
Bio-medical Waste Management Rules, 2016
In 2016, the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests had issued new Bio-medical Waste Management Rules, 2016 for proper discarding of the bio-medical waste.
Salient features of Bio-medical Waste Management Rules, 2016
1 . It has simplified categorisation and authorisation. Thus, it will make a big difference to clean India Mission.
2 . The new rules include vaccination camps, blood donation camps, surgical camps or any other healthcare activity.
3 . Phase-out the use of chlorinated plastic bags, gloves and blood bags within two years.
4 . Pre-treatment of the laboratory waste, microbiological waste, blood samples and blood bags through disinfection or sterilisation on-site in the manner as prescribed by WHO or NACO.
5 . Provision of training to all its health care workers along with their immunisation regularly.
6 . Establishing a Bar-Code System for bags or containers containing bio-medical waste for disposal.
7 . Report major accidents.
8 . Bio-medical waste has been classified in to 4 categories instead of 10 to improve the segregation of waste at source.
9 . The new rules prescribe more stringent standards for incinerator to reduce the emission of pollutants in environment.
10 . State Government to provide land for setting up common bio-medical waste treatment and disposal facility.
11 . Operator of a common bio-medical waste treatment and disposal facility to ensure the timely collection of bio-medical waste from the HCFs and assist the HCFs in conduct of training.
Bio-Medical Waste Management (Amendment) Rules, 2018
Salient features of Bio-Medical Waste Management (Amendment) Rules, 2018 are as follows:
1 . Bio-medical waste generators including hospitals, nursing homes, clinics, dispensaries, veterinary institutions, animal houses, pathological laboratories, blood banks, health care facilities, and clinical establishments will have to phase out chlorinated plastic bags (excluding blood bags) and gloves by March 27, 2019.
2 . All healthcare facilities shall make available the annual report on its website within a period of two years from the date of publication of the Bio-Medical Waste Management (Amendment) Rules, 2018.
3 . Operators of common bio-medical waste treatment and disposal facilities shall establish bar coding and global positioning system for handling of bio-medical waste in accordance with guidelines issued by the Central Pollution Control Board by March 27, 2019.
4 . The State Pollution Control Boards/ Pollution Control Committees have to compile, review and analyze the information received and send this information to the Central Pollution Control Board in a new Form (Form IV A), which seeks detailed information regarding district-wise bio-medical waste generation, information on Health Care Facilities having captive treatment facilities, information on common bio-medical waste treatment and disposal facilities.
5 . Every occupier, i.e. a person having administrative control over the institution and the premises generating biomedical waste shall pre-treat the laboratory waste, microbiological waste, blood samples, and blood bags through disinfection or sterilization on-site in the manner as prescribed by the World Health Organization (WHO) or guidelines on safe management of wastes from health care activities and WHO Blue Book 2014 and then sent to the Common bio-medical waste treatment facility for final disposal.
